Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Buzz

Ever since BuzzBrews opened in the former Pitt Grill spot at Fitzhugh and 75, I can't seem to keep from drooling every time I head north on the highway.  But being the lazy little thing that I am (Three exits?!  Might as well be three hours!), and being not particularly disposed to my local outpost of Cafe Brazil (I explained why here), I often found myself wishing and praying and hoping against all hope that one day this 24/7 great food/great coffee joint would grace me with a presence nearer to the Oak Lawn area.

Well, lo and behold, my prayers were answered.  When I heard what was going into the hard-luck space at Lemmon and Herschel, I could barely contain my excitement.  A real live BuzzBrews right in my own back yard!

Crowds of shiny, happy people have packed the new spot since it opened just a few days ago, feasting on bountiful breakfasts, lip-smackin' lunches and all manner of other delicious dishes in the wide-open dining area overlooking (wait for it) the Radio Shack parking lot.  Oh, well, maybe my new Brews doesn't have a view, but it's got some righteous coffee, friendly service and someone in the kitchen who may very well be my new culinary best bud (sorry, FP).

Take the Griddle Toast, for instance.  Think French Toast's rich uncle.  Soaked in a silken egg custard and grilled golden brown, it's oh, so much more decadent than the average pain perdu.  And that's before it's topped with Vermont AA Maple Syrup and a sprinkling of nuts.  Add two eggs and two slices of bacon, and you've got the Pitt Grill Griddle Toast breakfast.  It's an homage of which the dive of my high school days would be proud.  

Other clucking delightful egg dishes sampled included the Popeye (spinach, tomato, onion and feta cheese wrapped in a fluffy omelet) and the Californication (you'll have to look that up yourself), both of which can also be served as crepes.  Alongside you'll receive buttery, brioche-type toast and BuzzBrews' "garlic marbles" -  seasoned potatoes that were were, unfortunately, underdone when sampled on a recent visit. 

I took the misstep in stride, however, considering the crowd that morning and the exceptional quality of everything else on the plates.  To prolong my pleasure, I carried home an 8 oz. bundle of joy:  my very own bag of Buzz Brew, ground to my own particular specifications, which has awakened me with the appropriate combination of strength and encouragement every morning this week.  (For me, coffee is all about tough love.)

I can't wait to get in for dinner, and once I do, you'll hear all about it.  For now, however, I think you know where you're headed for that 2 a.m. post-party fix.  Or for brunch on Sunday.  Or both.

http://buzzbrews.com/

New location:  4334 Lemmon Avenue, Dallas

Haute Potatoes: International Spuds of Mystery

I like bars. Love bars. High tone, low-key, big sprawling giants or holes-in the-wall, mahogany and brass or gum under the table. Love 'em. Give me a bar and a great drink any day at 5:00 and I'm a happy, happy girl.

The food in most bars, however, can leave a person relying on whatever is impaled on a toothpick at the bottom of their cocktail glass for sustenance. I decided to give potato skins, that ubiquitous mainstay of bar menus everywhere, an extreme makeover – the equivalent of the “works” from a team of globe-trotting trend-setting fashionistas. What came out from behind the curtain after the drumroll was delicious, stylish and not at all confined to cocktail hour...these skins have enough sass to take center stage at a sit-down dinner. Check out the line-up (publicity photos above):

Naked skin procedure:

Bake medium-sized russet potatoes, scrubbed clean of all dirt and debris, for 1 hour at 400 degrees, or until the spuds yield easily to a gentle squeeze. Cool to room temperature. Slice in half length-wise and, working carefully, dig out most of the flesh from each half with a small spoon. (You can save it and make soup or something if you're that kind of person.) Leave only a thin coating of flesh inside the shell, being careful not to cause any rips or tears in the skin. You can stop here and proceed with filling, but for extra-delicious and crispy shells, fry them flesh side down,until golden in vegetable oil, before salting and peppering, filling and broiling until cheese is melted and just beginning to brown.

Barbecue Chicken Skins

an homage to Spago

Combine shredded cooked chicken (I like the consistency and white-to-dark ratio of simply removing the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken) with barbecue sauce. Toss two parts coated meat with one part cheddar-jack cheese and generously fill the naked shells. Garnish broiled skins with green onion, and serve additional bbq sauce and plenty of ranch dressing on the side.

Shrimp-on-the-Barbie Skins

“G'day mate!”

Stuff your spuds with freshly grilled or broiled shrimp and plenty of pepper-jack cheese. After broiling 'till bubbly, top with fresh mango salsa. Freaky delicious!

Mango salsa: Chop one large jar of mango in light syrup (available in the produce section) into large chunks. Add one jalapeño and one half a small red onion, both minced. Add two tablespoons of chopped cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.

Nacho-Topped Fiesta Skins Olé

Why the hell didn't someone think of this sooner?

Spread prepared skins with a thin layer of prepared spicy refried beans. Top with shredded cooked chicken or seasoned browned ground beef and a thick layer of cheddar cheese. Broil and serve with pickled jalapeños, salsa and sour cream.

Italian Skins Margherita

Oh, so much better than delivery

Spread prepared skins lightly with tomato or marinara sauce. Layer on fresh or aged mozzarella, basil and Parmesan cheese. Additional toppings might include (but are certainly not limited to): pepperoni, browned sausage, sliced mushrooms, bell peppers and onions.

Spud Photos by Lara Bierner